Make Me Smile || Kurt Cobain

Chapter 61 - Times And Seasons

Kurt

After finally seeing Ashlyn for the first time in days all I could conclude was that... something was wrong.

But I just had no idea what. But I knew something was wrong.

Judging from the way she kept her eyes fixed on me but didn't break away. Judging from how tense she had been since Axl and I appeared.

And judging from the way her smile dropped once she saw us. Once she saw me.

How did this girl go from relying on my as her major support system to being tense around me? It made no sense.

Nah, there was more than met the eye. Ashlyn wasn't okay.

Despite the fact that she had overcome her unwillingness to leave my room, she was still not okay. She was worse.

And I couldn't imagine why.

"I missed you too Axl" She said softly as they broke apart. "You too Kurt" She said as she gave me a hug. The hug wasn't warm neither was it warm like Ashlyn's usual hugs.

It felt forced and I felt her tense up once I touched her back.

What the hell happened?

Not taking my eyes off her, I watched as she and Michael Jackson engaged in conversations.

"Are you alright dear? Kurt told me all about how you were almost... assaulted. I'm really sorry to hear that. Do you know who did it?" Michael asked sympathetically.

Ashlynn's gaze shifted over to me momentarily before shifting back to Michael. She shook her head no.

"Oh you poor thing" Michael said pitifully. "Don't worry, you'll heal. And that scumbag will be brought to justice. I believe God will see that through"

Ashlyn nodded and sighed as she went back to the counter to attend to more customers.

Michael left shortly after that as he had an interview in LA later in the evening leaving Axl, Ashlyn and I alone in the store.

I watched Ashlyn in her element as she attended to customers. She was good at her job, I couldn't fault her.

But one thing I noticed was how she tensed up whenever an adult male customer stepped into the store. She tried to hide it well but she failed.

"So... you know her better than me I guess. Is my sister in a better state or worse state?" Axl aasked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Worse. Definitely worse. I mean, on one hand she's socializing again. But on another hand, she's extremely jumpy when talking to other guys and is also extremely tense around me. That's a problem in itself cause it just came from nowhere"

"That is really strange." Axl pointed out as he looked over at Ashlyn helping a little girl place a violin in the right position on her shoulder. "I finally get my sister back and all these happen. I'm gonna fucking kill Izzy. And I might just kill Chris as well" Axl said as he turned his gaze back to his sister.

Her boss Michael came back shortly from his lunch break with his girlfriend and seemed quite surprised to see us.

He stepped aside from Ashlyn from a while

"I want Izzy's head on a platter" Michael said to us through gritted teeth as Chantelle and Ashlyn conversed. "Why the fuck would he do that? Now the poor girl is scarred for life!"

"Kurt warned us" Axl said. "And I ignored it. I feel like a terrible brother" Axl sulked then sighed.

I said nothing as I looked over at Ashlyn who was chatting with Michael's girlfriend, Chantelle. She still looked quite shaken but still tried to put up a front of normalcy.